Interior trim panel design for motor vehicles requires consideration of numerous competing priorities. An area of particular concern is the center stack, which is a portion of the instrument panel of the vehicle that is located between the driver seat and the front passenger seat of the vehicle. The center stack typically houses audio controls, climate controls, and other vehicle controls. Since the center stack is so prominently situated within most vehicles, aesthetic considerations are especially important. Additionally, due to the complexity of the center stack, it can be difficult to suitably mesh practical design considerations with the aesthetic vision for a particular vehicle design.
At junctions between two or more interior trim panels, connecting structures are typically provided to connect the trim panels to one another and/or an underlying structure. These connecting structures provide resistance to detachment to allow the panels to remain firmly secured to one another, especially if the vehicle becomes involved in a collision. Such connecting structures are often designed to allow for easy assembly and to minimize the visibility of fasteners.
Fasteners for connecting adjacent trim panels can require a relatively large area at the rear of the panels, where the fasteners are typically located. Consequently, areas taken up by fasteners and other connecting structures cannot be utilized to accommodate the various controls, displays, and HVAC openings that are typically found in the center stack area of the vehicle, thereby reducing the usable space in the center stack area, and creating a margin between panels within which these features cannot be accommodated.
For both functional and aesthetic reasons, need remains for connecting structures that are capable of joining adjacent trim panels and that occupy reduced surface area on such trim panels.